Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

What could I research for my Review of Literature for testing if people think composite faces are more attractive than real faces? Reply fast need help!!!!!!

Hi Gracie,

I will try to help but I'm not sure if I understand your question. By 'composite' face do you mean a made-up photo with eyes, nose, mouth, ears, etc. from different people? I did some searching on this subject and learned that scientists at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, developed a computer program that allowed them to overlay the faces of 100s of women (I suppose they could do the same for men.) and the software would produce a composite picture of the common features of all the photos. They did this for 41 different ethnicities (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -like.html)

Many of the faces look quite similar to me but they are all very pretty.

Here's a reference I found to a paper published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on The Psychobiology of Facial Attractiveness--http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12834020
They said that most people found the composite more attractive than an individual photo, but they also said that when certain features associated with female attractiveness--small chin, large eyes, high forehead, etc.--were enhanced that people found the enhanced photo even more attractive than the composite.

Here's another reference to a paper in Psychological Science--http://www.bu.edu/phpbin/news-cms/news/ ... 272--where they say that the composite faces are "easier for the brain to process". I'm not sure I agree with that but I haven't read the paper so don't know their reasoning, but that is something you could use in your lit search.

Let me know if these are the sort of things you were looking for and if you need more help. It sounds like a really interesting subject for a science project.

Good luck!

Sybee

Thank you it does its due in a week!!!!!!!!!!! So nervous!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck, Gracie! You will do fine, I'm sure.

If you have any questions about your presentation, do let us know and we will help.

Best wishes,

Sybee

Thank you its due in 2 days! I am so stressed is it bad if two sources take up 3 pages?
Gracie

Dear Sybee
I need help with one more resource!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gracie

Hi Gracie,

I don't understand what you are asking. Do you mean you need a reference? A website? A youtube video? A published paper? Please give more details when you ask for help so we know what to tell you.

Sybee

Sybee,
Nevermind I finished my whole research paper. Wish me luck
Gracie

GOOD LUCK Gracie!

I am absolutely sure that you will do fine. You are smart and want to excel and you will.

Let us know how it turns out. We like to get feedback so we can help students better in the future.

All the best,

Sybee